The Shadow – The Deathhouse Rescue 1937

The radio show drama, The Shadow – The Deathhouse Rescue, which premiered on September 26, 1937, starred Orson Welles as Lamont Cranston, better known as The Shadow, and Agnes Moorhead as Margot Lane, Cranston’s constant companion and sidekick. (2)

The 1930s was a time when people needed to escape from reality because of the devastating effects of the Great Depression and the brutal antics Hitler was implementing in Germany and Europe. Escapism was the rule in all of the media including dime novels like The Shadow – Death from Nowhere (1) above left, movies and radio shows like The Shadow.

The Shadow character was described as a man with a genius level intellect who was in peak physical condition. He was a master detective, skilled marksman, martial artist, and a master of disguise and stealth. (2)

In this episode Cranston is tasked with clearing Paul Gordon’s name and rescuing him from his date with the electric chair. Can the Shadow accomplish the near impossible? I’m sure you already know the answer, but it is still fun to listen to him while he does it.

The Shadow always begins with “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows.” Give a listen.

Naturally the good guy always wins. This is escapism after all, and the bad guys winning would be most depressing. The Shadow always ends with “The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay… The Shadow knows!” (2) Thank you, Shadow. I feel better already.